6 Months Pregnant

6 months pregnant, 27 weeks pregnant, pregnancy, baby girl bump diary, 27 week baby bump

I am now 6 months pregnant and the third trimester isn't far off.  Considering how slowly pregnancy is meant to go, this past month has flown by and whilst in my head I still have months and months left, full term is only 10 weeks away which isn't all that long.

I am definitely finding this pregnancy tougher than the other three, physically and mentally.  I am finding if I overdo it (which is very easy with three small children around) then I can barely walk by the end of the day and I have mastered the pregnancy waddle early.  I have a repeat GTT (glucose tolerance test) this week as both baby and myself are still measuring very big, but I am hoping I just make chunky babies and have very relaxed stomach muscles.

This month the little kicks have turned into something stronger that the bloke can really feel and that you can sometimes see.  My anterior placenta means I still don't feel as much movement as I did in Archie's pregnancy but baby seems to be in quite a routine with party time being late evening (10-12 specifically).  

Mentally I am definitely more hormonal this time, I snap easier, cry easier and am much more likely to be drawn into arguments than usual.  I can see the way the hormones affect me but can't seem to do much about it.  I don't know if this is a girl thing, but I will be happy to go back to calm once she arrives. (well as calm as life gets with four under fives!)

This month I have tried to curb the shopping as I have a feeling she is going to be a big baby and not get to wear half her clothes otherwise!  I have given in to a few things though and I love finding girly bits without being pink and frilly.  We haven't started thinking about the big things yet, but we are pretty sorted having had a newborn not that long ago.

This month has started with Dylan asking questions about how the baby will come out and I know I will have to satisfy his curiousity more as I get bigger so I have a couple of books ready.  My tactic is to answer just enough, but not give him too much information and it seems to be working although every now and again he comes back with a new question so I know he must be thinking about it still.

I am seeing the midwife much more often this pregnancy due to bump/baby size which means an appointment every 3 weeks on top of seeing the consultant and April brings two midwife appointments, one consultant one, a GTT, Whopping cough vaccination and a growth scan (unless they want to throw in anything extra over the coming weeks!).

And finally here is Britney bump, measuring a little too big but completely wonderful.

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Waiting for Baby

As my due date fast approaches I can honestly say that this pregnancy has flown by.  Even the past few weeks which are meant to drag seem to be disappearing and I know that in the next 4 weeks I will have a third baby boy.  It is strange to think that Dylan was born at this gestation, yet I feel no signs that our little Pretzel is coming anytime soon.

The last few weeks of pregnancy are precious, even more so if things are straightforward.  Every day my swollen tummy takes me by surprise, but every morning I look at it in the mirror, in amazement at what my body is doing, how it is growing and supporting a little life and at quite how stretched my poor skin is.  

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29 Weeks Pregnant

I am most certainly in the third trimester and I am starting to feel it now.  Whilst compared to most, this pregnancy is still pretty plain sailing, having two toddlers at home means that the vital rest I need just isn't happening.  I can feel the strain on my body if I overdo it, and with Dylan having had a bad week and weighing rather more than he did last time I was pregnant, I have found myself struggling to lift him, and feeling it all the next day if I do.

There are points in each day where I feel invincible, and I think I have finally got the energy back, but by 2pm, I am ready to curl up for a nap and there is no sound more welcome than the bloke's key in the door at the end of the day.  Generally I am not too bad, and I am thankful that the boys have a nice nap together in the afternoon so I get a chance to have a little snooze or at least put my feet up.

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27 Weeks Pregnant

27 weeks means I had arrived at the third and final trimester far quicker than I thought! There seems to be some debate as to whether it begins at 27 or 28 weeks, but as my babies were born at 38 and 39 weeks, I think 27 marks two thirds of this journey done.

Whilst I am loving the extra kicks, the bigger bump and finally being allowed those extra calories, I am so conscious that I only have a few weeks left to enjoy this pregnancy and as it is most likely our last,  this makes me a bit sad. It feels ironic that the more I want time to slow down, the faster it seems to go, I think having small children already just leaves little time to sit and enjoy.

Excuse the blur and shadows, I got the bloke to take the pic. . . 

When I think back to my first pregnancy, I felt like I had really bonded with the baby, I felt so aware of his patterns, his position and I would lay down just feeling him move and talking to him.  This time I am nowhere close, and whilst I love this baby with all my heart already, I don't feel like we have had the chance to bond in the same way.  I know that once he is born, none of this will matter, but it still makes me a little sad.

It feels like only now at 27 weeks I would feel confident saying I feel this baby moving enough to know if there is a disruption to his patterns, and I still spend much of my day too busy to notice.  In the evenings I see my tummy moving into all sorts of funny positions and I think that baby is head down already.  I had a midwife appointment this week, who has plotted my baby above the 95th centile, but as the other boys were large, they aren't concerned.  I was quite convinced I was measuring big again but I think that is just how I carry babies.

I am not feeling quite as tired this week, although I think the reprieve will be short as it is around this time that energy levels start to plummet again! I have been craving cheese though, and have demolished plenty of mozzarella balls straight from the fridge, baking camembert and cheese on crackers.  I am using the 'growing bones' excuse at the moment, but I know that snacking on a block of cheddar probably isn't the best idea to do so regularly.  

I have been hanging on to a few non-maternity items, but walking around town the buttons popping open on what was a very loose shirt has meant my wardrobe is cut down even further.  Thankfully, the bloke's clothes are starting to fit, and his Christmas jumper is perfect to wear over my bump!

If you have written any pregnancy related posts then make sure to link them up to BlogBumpClub!

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25 Weeks Pregnant

I am using tiredness and two toddlers as my excuse for being so behind with my pregnancy posts as I am now most definitely 26 weeks, but I am finally publishing last weeks update!

At 25 weeks I should be feeling full of energy and even glowing but neither of these are true of this pregnancy.  I don't feel that I have gotten into the stride of things, and I still need to nap some afternoons to get me through the days.  I am so thankful that my boys seem to appreciate this need!  Whilst it is partly my own fault for not going to bed earlier, the boys don't seem to be sleeping well at the moment and that really isn't helping!

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23 Weeks Pregnant

I never wrote my 21 week bump update, (although I did post at 20 weeks about our scan), so there is a bit more to catch up on this time.  I am now 23 weeks into my third pregnancy, which means I am past the halfway mark, meaning I have more of an excuse to do a little shopping.

My bump growth appears to have slowed right down, although it depends on the day as some days I wake up feeling particularly small, and others I look ready to pop before I have even eaten breakfast! The picture in black was taken at 23 weeks, and the lovely one in my pyjamas was at 21, showing quite the difference! I think pretzel keeps changing position as I am feeling movement in different areas on different days still.

I had a check up at 21 weeks with the midwife, and all is progressing well.  I don't see her until December now, but from then on they will start measuring me.  I have a personalised growth chart this time, taking into account factors like my previous babies and their birth weights, and they are expecting little pretzel to be another chunky one.  Anything from 8 to 10.5 pounds on his due date and they are not concerned - eek!

I am feeling much more movement now, although this little guy seems to be following the same pattern his big brother did - something that sends me into panic every single week! He wriggles and kicks lots for around 4 days, and then has one or two where he pretty much doesn't move.  The kicks are getting stronger, and whilst he often seems to be in the breach position, tying to find an escape route with his feet, there are days he is kicking straight out by my belly button, and his little legs are now powerful enough to be felt from the outside, despite my placenta still being on the front wall of my uterus.

Whilst at 23 weeks with both the other boys, I felt on top of the world and positively glowing, having two small children is taking its toll and I find I nap given any opportunity as I feel constantly tired.  I find working at home is quite tough as I tend to get comfy on the sofa with my laptop and fall asleep whereas when I was waitressing, I was too active to even get the opportunity.  I am also finding my skin is terrible, with dry, blotchy patches on my face, again something totally new and rather unwanted.

Cravings come and go, but include orange juice, crusty bread and hula hoops at the moment.  There hasn't been an instance where I am desperate yet but I do eat and drink far too much of these things! I am still sleeping well, although I might turn over a couple of times in the night.  I need to sleep with a pillow between my knees and under my bump but I never need to get up in the night at the moment which I am thankful for.

Generally this pregnancy is going well, and I am enjoying my growing bump, the wriggles and kicks and getting to buy teeny tiny clothes again (although not that teeny, we anticipate skipping the newborn stuff altogether.)

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17 Weeks Pregnant

Due to the fact we were on holiday the entire time I was 17 weeks pregnant, this update is rather late, but the bump shot was taken on time, hence the slightly different background.  After the slow first few weeks, the second trimester seems to be flying by!

My energy is finally starting to return, but I am definitely finding my own limits.  If I have a good day, I am fine, but too much physical exercise makes me feel weak, and I spend a lot more time sitting down than I am used to.  In general I am fine if I am on the move but I find standing still very hard and struggled on the buses and tubes in Italy last week as I was never offered a seat, and sometimes would be standing for 30 minutes at a time.

I am definitely finding I get out of breath easier as well, as my uterus must be pushing up towards my lungs.  Apparently it should be nearly at my belly button now, but I know it is pushing other organs out of place.

One thing I am still very aware of is how frequently I need to eat.  I feel my body starting to crash if I go more than a couple of hours, especially if I am busy, so I make sure I always have a snack or fruit juice on me, as life with two toddlers can be pretty manic, and I often forget to look after myself as well.  This is a symptom I have in all my pregnancies, and I know it is not an issue at all if I manage it well.

I am definitely feeling more flutters this week, although still no real kicks, but my placenta is low and at the front, so I won't expect them for a few more weeks.  I have a doppler, even though I swore I would never get one, and I love listening to baby's heartbeat a couple of times a week, just for that extra reassurance.  It seems baby likes cake already though, as I always seem to feel the strongest movements when I am eating it.  If that isn't an excuse to eat more then I don't know what is!

I think bump growth is definitely slowing, as the bloating subsides and the baby comes through, but my shape changes so dramatically throughout the day.  The photos I am using for these updates are early morning, when my belly is at its smallest - it looks at least twice as big by the evening though!

I had my flu jab last week, which wasn't too bad, and a midwife appointment too, where I got to hear the heartbeat on a proper doppler and have a little chat.  She took more details about my previous babies and their sizes, so she can make a growth chart, and keep an eye on little pretzel - I am hoping he is no bigger than his brothers, but we shall wait and see.  It isn't long now until our 20 week scan, and I plan to find out the baby's sex if possible - then the shopping can really commence!

Whilst we were on holiday, we did buy the baby a little something though.  In each pregnancy, we have gone on holiday, and each time we have bought the bump back a present, so it was compulsory really! The bloke always chooses it as well, and Pretzel has a beautiful penguin sleepsuit to grow into.  We haven't started shopping yet, so it seems strange looking at clothes that are so tiny!

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15 Weeks Pregnant

After the twelve week marker taking so long to come around, the days and weeks seem to be flying by now, at just the point I want them to slow down.  15 weeks has brought with it few changes from my last update, other than some substantial growth. (These photos are all taken first thing in the morning before breakfast so as to be more accurate but by the end of the day I look huge!)

After a misleading few days of energy, I am feeling exhausted again, which I am not sure if it is down to pregnancy or the hectic life that is being a parent to a one and three year old.  A mixture of the two I suspect.  By the time the littlies are tucked up in bed, I am not up to much more than collapsing on the sofa, and there are days I am still desperate for a snooze by lunchtime.  I have started having more headaches, but I know that a good night's sleep is all it needs to go away.

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13 Weeks Pregnant

As the first trimester comes to an end, I am finally coming out of the tired fog that characterised the first few weeks.  Whilst that pregnancy glow is still a distant dream, I have enough energy to get through the day again and things are only getting easier.

Now that my pregnancy is finally in the open, I can wear what I like again without worrying people will think I just ate a bit too much cake.  It feels like I have known for so much longer this time, but in a way I have as I found out a week earlier than with both the boys and my scan was later on too.  

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38 Weeks Pregnant

38 Weeks and I am officially more pregnant than I have ever been! This post is also a few days late so due date is getting even closer! Here is what I hope to be my last bump shot, although who knows, I may be back with week 40!

On the Inside

After 37 weeks of health and happiness, the tiredness is really kicking in and if I don't have a quiet sit down and put my feet up during Dylan's nap time then I really know about it by his bed time! Saying that I have not been particularly sensible and have been carrying on with my normal active lifestyle.  I worked a 9 hour shift on my feet this weekend waitressing and much to the bloke's dismay this did not start off labour!

I am getting a lot of aches and pains low down, probably due to Squish having been engaged for the last 4 weeks.  I am finding a bath before bed makes me feel so much better though, although sleep is not easy and I wake up so many times in the night for no reason.  My bladder is still coping and I don't need to get out of bed in the night, but I wake up uncomfortable and restless.

I saw my midwife this week who confirmed that my blood tests were all fine and that I should head to the Midwife Led Unit when labour starts.  All seems well and he said he would be suprised if I made it to my 40 week appointment.  I had a tour today of the MLU and it looks lovely and relaxing in there so I am getting quite excited about the birth! (Is this normal?)

On the Outside

Bump is big.

Bump is very big and very round - most of my maternity tops are no longer covering my tummy so it is all about long long tops and dresses now to keep me warm.  I have turned to some floaty summer beach dresses I bought in my previous pregnancy and am teaming them with leggings and cardigans as they are so comfy.  Unfortunately my maternity coat no longer does up round my tummy so it is all about thick scarfs hanging down.

Stretch marks are rapidly increasing and no cream seems to be slowing them down although I keep applying them to keep bump soft and smooth.  I do look like I am smuggling a beach ball under my clothes although I am nowhere near as big as I was with Dylan.  

I am feeling much more ready now as Squish's room is carpeted and furnished and I have started putting some of his teeny tiny clothes away.  The crib sheets are in the washing machine as I type and my hospital bags are packed .  The bloke is desperate to have this week off work as he is on early morning starts so I am convinced Squish will wait until the weekend to arrive - you know what their timing is like!  

The end is now in sight and I am going to miss pregnancy so much but the excitement that I will soon meet the little man I have been growing for nine months is huge! It is all a waiting game now although I have had no signs that labour is imminent - watch this space for a 40 weeks pregnant post or a birth announcement sometime soon! 

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36 Weeks Pregnant

Only another week until I am deemed 'full term' and that is when the panic will begin.  For now it still feels like I have plenty of time before the little guys arrival so I am still putting off as much as I can!  Here I am at 36 weeks;

On the Inside

I had a routine midwife appointment on Wednesday and he has confirmed that baby Squish is now fully engaged - something I had guessed from all the groin pain I have been having and the lack of any kicks in the rib area.  Everything is going well though and I had to have bloods taken this week too as I am hoping to give birth in the midwife led unit and I need to prove my iron levels are high enough and that I am healthy and fighting fit.  

I am getting quite a few pains low down now and have found that baths before bed really help to relax my body.  Somehow I have made it to 36 weeks without needing any extra toilet trips and I am very thankful as falling asleep at night isn't as easy as it once was - at least I can stay asleep until the little guy wakes me up!

Tiredness is certainly kicking in during the daytimes and although I haven't been taking many naps yet, the TV is playing a much bigger role in childcare as I don't always have the energy to do the same puzzle for the 76th time.  I am still working though and can get through an 8 hour shift on my feet no problems - it is amazing how a toddler can tire you out!

On the Outside

Bump has definitely dropped now that the little guy has discovered his escape route and It looks like he may fall out at any moment! Not too many new stretchmarks though however I have outgrown several of my maternity tops now.  Dresses seem to be the way forward if I don't want to flash too much skin and they are also the most comfortable thing to wear.

Bump is still measuring larger than average but not as big as with Dylan so I am intending to pack newborn still for the hospital bag, even if I have to squish the little one into it!  

I am still nowhere near organised, but I have a gorgeous new Pink Lining bag ready to pack baby's bits into and we have everything ordered ready for Squish's room - just need to unpack all the boxes that are clogging it up first!

Next update will be at 38 weeks - the point where Dylan was born so I am hoping I make it that far! 

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